M6:541 — پیش از آنک اشکسته گردد کاروان / آن زمان چوبک بزن ای پاسبان

Translation: Before the caravan is broken up, Then beat the drum, O watchman!

Meaning: This verse emphasizes the critical importance of timely vigilance and proactive intervention. The watchman's duty is to raise the alarm before a disaster occurs and the caravan is plundered, thereby preventing loss.

Mowlana, in this verse, unequivocally calls us to proactive engagement. The message is clear: one must act before it is too late, before irreversible damage is incurred. Mowlana delivers this powerful statement following a delightful yet profoundly instructive tale about a watchman entrusted with safeguarding a caravan.

The story goes that thieves arrived, completely plundered the caravan's possessions, and hid them away. Yet, during all this, the watchman remained silent. When morning broke, and the caravaneers awoke to find their belongings, goods, and camels stolen, the watchman finally began to "beat the chūbak"—that is, to beat his drum and shout, "O caravaneers, rise, for the thieves have taken your wealth!" The caravaneers reproachfully asked him, "Now, after the 'destruction of Basra,' what good is this drumming? Why did you not warn us when the thieves were here?" The poor watchman offered his excuse: "They were many, and I was alone; they showed me their swords and daggers, threatening to kill me mercilessly if I spoke. From fear, I kept silent. But now that they are gone, I will shout and beat the drum as much as you wish!"

Mowlana, with subtle artistry, condemns this inaction and the subsequent regret. He prefaces this by stating: "After being helpless, what lament and what sigh? / Before that, this dark smoke should have risen." His point is that one must seek help from the "Rescuer" (God) precisely when "greed and lust stir," not after they have taken over. This echoes the famous Arabic proverb: "qabl hadm al-Basra" (before the destruction of Basra), an idiom for "before it's too late," referring to Basra's historical repeated devastations.

Thus, this verse serves as a serious warning; a warning to our own souls, to that inner "watchman" within us, to be vigilant and sound the drum of awareness before afflictions and desires plunder the caravan of our spiritual capital. In Mowlana's view, while regretting a misfortune after it has occurred is indeed better than complete heedlessness, true wisdom lies in being awake and preventing our existential caravan from being looted. Even if our lament is "unsalted" or lacking in true state, God, the "Powerful," can accept it, for "what can be missed by You, O God?" Yet, the dictate of both reason and irfan (gnosis) is to seize the opportunity before it vanishes.

Key takeaways

• Proactive vigilance and action are necessary before a crisis, not after.
• Regret and remorse are futile once a situation has gone beyond remedy.
• The inner watchman must warn against "greed and lust" before they overpower the soul.
• The verse's message aligns with the proverb "before the destruction of Basra."
• While belated remorse is better than complete heedlessness, true wisdom lies in timely action.